flexibility to be scheduled at different times of the day. Adjusting start times, lunch breaks and quitting times may also be possible. Failing everything else, just remain vigilant about watching the dashboard dials, listening for unusual sounds and generally keeping the machine’ s operation at top-of-mind during the peak hours.
Allow Time to Cool Down
When it is time to let the equipment rest— during breaks and at quitting time— it is best to phase the shutdown rather than just turn the motor off. If you are an athlete, a runner in particular, you understand the concept. In addition to doing warmup exercises prior to starting a run, it is also recommended you do some cooldown exercises before hitting the showers. Your equipment can follow the same guidelines. Let the engine idle for a few minutes before turning it off or putting it in sleep mode. NMC Cat says that following this routine procedure can prevent damage to the engine, the turbocharger in particular.
Storage
When the workday is over, it is still necessary to extend protection to our machinery until its next day of use. Just as we park our car in the garage before we go into our airconditioned house after work during the summer, we should have the same thoughtfulness for our equipment. Is there a large storage building on the job site that it can be parked in overnight? If the job is going to be long term, can a temporary shelter be constructed onor off-site for overnight and weekend storage? Having that cooler downtime can really help recharge the batteries— in this case, literally!
Cooling System Probably the most important system designed to keep a piece of machinery cool is, well, the cooling system. The machine’ s cooling system along with its primary component, the radiator, can be compared to the hypothalamus of the human body. The hypothalamus is a gland in the brain that acts like our body’ s thermostat. It constantly checks our current temperature and makes sure that we don’ t overheat. The radiator is in charge of normalizing the temperature of the engine and preventing overheating. So, it is imperative to keep the radiator clean and in good shape at all times, but especially throughout the summer. A CatUsed blog states,“ When your machine is left dirty, things like mud, sticks and leaves can become caked on or stuck and cause the equipment to perform poorly, leaving it more susceptible to heat damage.” Alex Lyon & Son offers these tips:“ Keep your radiator clean using pressurized air, replace your coolant once a year, perform annual pressure tests, make sure the fans are clear of debris and check your hoses for cracks or other problems. If all these things are working correctly, your machinery will stay cool.”
Use Displays
Technology has become a way of life for most of us. Active people use their FitBit or Apple Health app to monitor their body’ s systems. So, it only makes sense to leverage technology to monitor our heavy equipment’ s performance as well. The displays on the machine’ s dashboard can track temperature fluctuations and operational stress, allowing us to make proactive adjustments and perform timely interventions. Just as we wouldn’ t( or shouldn’ t) ignore the“ check engine” light on our car or the warning beeps on our stress monitor, we should pay attention when the machinery’ s gauges tell us it’ s time to take a break. Never push your equipment to the limit and increase its temperature just to finish the job. Doing so could lead to even costlier delays from repairing or replacing a blown engine.
Additional Tips
To round off this discussion, there are a few points that fall in the“ miscellaneous” category regarding care and maintenance of heavy equipment during extreme heat. These come from comments made by manufacturers, dealers, auctions and equipment rentals and deserve an honorable mention.
• When making repairs to older machines, utilizing newer heat-resistant materials,
10 July 12, 2024 www. contractorshotline. com